Ultrasonography of the abdomen in healthy and diseased camels (Camelus dromedaries)–a review

Abstract

Although the diseases of the abdomen in camels (Camelus dromedaries) are frequent than those of other systems, various abdominal disorders are passed misdiagnosed or detected incidentally at postmortem examination. This may be because of the large abdominal circumference in camels, and the nature of subacute abdominal pain even in severe conditions. By abdominal ultrasonography, the veterinarian can scan the rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, and small and large intestines and peritoneum in camels. Samples of peritoneal fluid can also be collected under ultrasound guidance. Sonography has been used recently in camels for scanning of the healthy organs as well as evaluation and determining the diagnosis and prognosis of diseased ones. Examples of diseases evaluated by ultrasonography are pneumonia, pleurisy, splenic abscessation, hepatic disorders, nephrolithiasis, hydronephrosis, pyelonephritis, renal abscessation and renal neoplasms. Of the abdominal disorders diagnosed by ultrasonography are intestinal obstruction, volvulus, intussusception, abdominal effusions, peritonitis, abdominal and pelvic abscessations, chronic enteritis due to paratuberculosis, and neoplasia. In such cases, ultrasonography supplements the clinical and laboratory examinations by providing additional information on abdominal disorders for diagnosis antemortem. This review article is written to describe the results of abdominal ultrasonography in healthy camels as well as in camels with some abdominal disorders.